Human and trade union rights

Together with its affiliates, its regional organisations, the Global Union Federations, as well as with non-governmental organisations, the ITUC carries out ongoing campaign action for the universal respect of trade union rights, as guaranteed by the Conventions of the International Labour Organisation (ILO).

The ITUC defends trade unionists whenever their fundamental human rights are violated as a result of their trade union activities. It also takes action against other labour rights violations, and other violations of human rights especially where these affect working people.

News Human and trade union rights

The ITUC condemns in the strongest terms the abhorrent practice of the sale of migrant workers in Libya. Recent journalistic investigations have revealed that in the absence of the rule of law, migrant workers are increasingly being sold as slaves in Libya and elsewhere.

The ITUC has welcomed the outcomes of a major international conference on eradicating child labour, held in Buenos Aires, and called on governments to show the political courage to tackle child labour and slavery in line with the Buenos Aires Declaration which was adopted at the conference.

The ITUC has called for the Zimbabwean military to step aside immediately to allow civilian control of the government and the establishment of a process of national reconciliation. Having seized power, the military is now holding the country’s president, Robert Mugabe, under house arrest.

The three ITUC member organisations in India, INTUC, HMS and SEWA are taking part in a nationwide mobilisation to protest at the government’s anti-worker policies and refusal to engage in serious dialogue with the trade union movement. The mobilisation started today with a three-day manifestation outside the national Parliament in Delhi, and involves all the main trade union centres of the country, with the exception of the BMS which is linked to the ruling party of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The International Labour Organisation’s (ILO) decision to close the complaint against Qatar, following the government’s commitments to dismantle the kafala system and end modern slavery, signals a new era for workers’ rights in the country.

multimedia Human and trade union rights

International unions, the ITUC and BWI, have issued a formal complaint to the International Labour Organisation, presenting evidence that Qatar is breaching global freedom of association standards by refusing to recognise the rights of migrant workers. Watch these Nepalese workers talk about what working life in Qatar is really like.